C-link and lock therefor



Ju1y'1'7, 1934- w. J. GOURLEY ET AL 1,966,665

' G-LINK AND LOCK THEREFOR Filed Feb. 16, 1954' HHS-I...

ATTORNEY l atented July 17, I934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE C-LINK AND LOCK THEREFOR William J. Gourley and Fred H. Barney, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application February 16, 1934, Serial No. 711,569

Claims. (01. 24 238) This invention relates to oil field equipment and Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on it has particular reference to a C-link or couline 6-5 of Figure 2. pling, commonly called hook-cits, for use in c-links have been made use of for several power lines for pump jacks, the line being conyears in power lines such as designated and de- 5 nected at one end to an engine, motor, or other scribed in this specification but have been so 60 power in the central power plant some distance constructed as to prevent their being handled away from the well, and its opposite end to a with safety and speed when it is desired to con pump jack in the well and its principle object renect or disconnect them from the power line. sides in the provision of a device capable of Some C-links, however, have been designed to hooking or connecting the power line together at provide a handle for such an operation but such 65 some point along the length, such device being links are of a design which afiords a closed or capable of removal or displacement at will thereslotted handle which is dangerous in that should by releasing the pump jack from the power stop the operators hand be caught in the handle while the pumping. the line is in operation, or ii the line should break A further object or" the invention is manifest or the clamp should slip oii the knock-off post ill in the provision of a C-link having a handle by while the operator was manipulating the c-link which the same can be handled with perfect safehe could receive a serious injury. ty and without possible injury to the operator Commonly, oil wells which have been put on a when it is desired to remove the link from the pump or operated from a remote point and by an '20 line disconnecting the same and at the same time engine, motor, or other power, which is commonprovide a locking device to prevent the hooks ly designated as acentral power plant from which on either end of the link from becoming disenpower lines extend radially in various directions gaged from the loops or eyes in the ends of the to the pump jack situated at the wells. These power line. lines consist usually of steel rods to 1" in A still further object of the invention resides diameter and are of the best ofsteel of a tensil 88 in the provision of a C-link which is constructed strength of from 75,600 to 90,000 pounds per in such a manner as to prevent its being spread square inch but these rods often break at a time or straightened while the line is in operation when it is desired to remove the O-link and unless and becoming disengaged therefrom, as will be same safe means is provided to handle the latter,

brought out more specificallyras the description the operator may receive serious injury. 85

proceeds. Accordingly, the invention is constructed, pri- Broadly, the invention seeks to comprehend a marily, of a C-shaped body 1, preferably cut provision of a C-link of the character designated from a steel plate but which, obviously, can be above embodying a combination handle and cast if desired. The body 1 is of such thickness locking device, the latter being provided to preas to not only provide much strength but also of 9m vent the detachment of the said link while the a sufiicient width to accommodate anaperture 2 handle is provided to expedite the manual disarranged vertically through the midsection of the engagement of the link from the power line when body 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, through desired. which the stem 3 of a locking device 4 is disposed 0 While the foregoing objects are paramount, othfor free movement therein. as er and lesser objects will become manifest as The stem 3 or the locking device 4, when urged the description proceeds taken in connection with upwardly through the aperture 3, provides a conthe appended drawing wherein: venient handle 5 having at its top a knob or en- Figure l is an elevational view of the invention larged portion 6 which is apertured at (L through 5 connected in a conventional power line showing which, if desired, a cross-bar '7 can be inserted. 51.00

the combination handle and locking device and When the locking device 4, the latter being the knock-01f post. integral to the stem 3, or it can be threaded there- Figure 2 is a plan view of the same. on, if so desired, is shown in Figure 1 to be in its Figure 3 is an elevational view of the invenlowermost position rendering the passages at b tion showing one of the clamps abutting the incapable of allowing the loop or connections 8 1,05

knock-off post and how the invention may be and 9 from passing therethrough causing the removed or inserted into the line. hooks 10 and 11 of the body 1 to disengage them- Figure 4 is an elevational view of a modified selves from the line sections 12 and 13 which are form of the invention. connected to the loops or connections 8 and 9 Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4, and by clamps 14 and 15.

When the handle 5 is not in use and it is desired to secure the locking device in the position as shown in Figure 1, the set screw 16 is threaded inwardly so that its inward end engages the stem 3 to prevent its being displaced.

Palpably, the handle 5, which is shown in the drawing to be movable through the main body 1, can be made integral with the said body 1 and project upwardly from the top thereof, eliminating the locking device. While the locking device is desirable in most cases, the invention can be utilized without the same by merely providing a convenient handle projecting upwardly, as stated, from the back of the main body 1 in the manner similar to that shown in Figure 3. The handle 5 is shown to be movable within the main body 1 yet capable of being secured at any position relative thereto. 1

Referring now to Figure 4, which is a modified form of the invention, it will be seen that the same C-shaped body 1 is utilized in this modification by a pair of apertures at c, somewhat smaller than those in the other figures, are provided to receive a substantially inverted U-shaped member 17, its two parallel prongs 18 extending downwardly terminating between the ends of the hooks 10 and 11 of the body 1, when in operation, each of the prongs 18 having an enlarged head 19 to prevent the member 17 from becoming dislodged or removed fromthe body 1.

When it is desired, therefore, to remove the form of link shown in Figure 4 from the line sections 12 and 13 by disengaging the hooks 10 and 11 of the body 1, the cross member d of the substantially U-shaped member 17 is grasped and pulled upwardly whereupon a suitable handle is provided simultaneously with the unlocking of the c-link by drawing the enlarged lower ends 19 of the prongs 18 upwardly and out of the opening between the ends of the hooks 10 and 11.

In operation, therefore, when it is desired to disconnect the link from the sections 12 and 13 of the power line, a block 20, or other article of sufficient strength, is placed against the knockoff post 21, as shown in Figure 3, so that the .clamp 15 upon the back stroke of the pump (not shown) will bear against the said block 20 allowing a slack in the entire opposite section 12 of the line which, if the operator is agile and quick, will permit him to remove the link from the loops or connections 8 and 9 by grasping the knob .6 or cross-bar '7, after loosening the set screw 16 drawing the locking device 4 upwardly, as shown in Figure 3 grasping the handle 5 and pulling backwardly on the latter so as to withdraw the hook 11 of the link from the loop 9.

Obviously, if the block 20 should slip, causing the line section 13 to be quickly jerked while the link is being inserted or being removed, the oper'-' ator might suffer an injury unless such a handle was provided which would enable him to disengage his hand from the latter very quickly.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of some modification and such modification as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a C-link, a main body, a combination looking device and handle comprising a head and a stem, said stem arranged for vertical movement through the said main body, the said locking device normally disposed within the opening of the said C-link and capable of withdrawal therefrom by the said stem whereby a handle is provided and means to secure the said stem in varying positions.

2. In a. C-link, a substantially C-shaped body, a locking device having a stem arranged for vertical movement through the midsection of the said body capable of manual withdrawal upwardly through the said body to unlock the said link and provide a handle therefor and means to secure the said stem against displacement.

3. A C-link comprising a substantially C-shaped body having 'an opening in one side thereof, a stem arranged for vertical movement through the midsection of the said C-shaped body and capable of being drawn upwardly therethrough to afiord a handle, a locking device at the lowermost end of the'said stem normally disposed within the said opening and means to secure the said stein against vertical displacement.

e. In a C-link, a substantially C-shaped body having an opening in one side thereof, a stern vertically disposed through one side of the said body and capable of vertical movement therein, a locking device secured to the lowermost end of the said stem capable of substantially closing the said opening, the said stem affording a handle when the same is urged upwardly moving the said locking device out of the said opening and means to secure the said stem in its uppermost or lowermost position.

5. In a C-link for pumping lines, a substantially C-shaped body having an opening in one side thereof, a stem capable of vertical movement through the said body having a locking device on its lowermost end affording a partial closure of the said opening when the latter is in its lowermost position, a handle afiorded by the said stem when the latter is urged to its uppermost position and means to secure the said stem in the said body at its uppermost and lowermost position.

WILLIAM J. GOURLEY. FRED H. BARNEY. 

